New Refrigerators for People With Old Energy Suckers in Detrot and Some Other Places

Thanks to Julie's List we find this gem: the nonprofit CLEARcorp in Detroit is making it possible for DTE electrical customers within the income guidelines who have pre-2001 fridges to get new energy-efficient Frigidaire refrigerators.  See the website for details and an application. And how do you know if your fridge is that old? See the website appliance411.com to learn how to find the age of your refrigerator. Also available for a short time in Washtenaw County, Michigan.

Users of Puget Sound Energy may qualify for a free fridge or a free washer, if their current appliances are old enough. See their website for details. Pacify Gas and Electric make a brief mention on their website, bit I can't determine if this program is currently available thought them for their customers. These programs may be in place, and then fade when the sponsor runs out of grant money or appliances.

The best way to find out what's available in your area is through these liheap program snapshots in your state. It can help you identify likely sources of he to contact.

Some Free/Low Cost Prom Dress Events in 2014

It's the midst of the prom dress hunting season.  While some events have passed already, there are still some events in the future.  I'm still waiting for the annual Raising Awareness event (we hope) at Owens Community College, which is generally in early April.  Here's a roundup of some events and opportunities around the country:

Check out this national listing of stores for donated prom dresses at Donate My Dress.  Another regional operation, Operation Prom, which operates events in New York, Connecticut, Georgia, Tennessee, New Jersey and Philadelphia, has prom dresses and tuxedo vouchers for low-income students.

Project G.L.A.M. has a listing of a couple of pop-up events in New York City.  In other local events, there's a prom dress resale event in the downriver suburbs of Detroit on March 22nd and 23rd.  The Macomb County Michigan Department of Human Services is hosting a Dress to Remember Event on April 2nd, 2014.

In northeast Massachusetts, there are some Priceless Prom events for dresses in late March and early April.

Competition for Women Entrepreneurs in Michigan

On the reality show Shark Tank, budding and expanding entrepreneurs get to pitch their ideas to a panel of investors who decide to invest in the business or pass.  In Michigan, Walsh College and several business and community partners have joined to create a program in which Michigan female entrepreneurs can compete for money to start up or expand their business.  It's the Entrepreneur You contest, which is fast approaching its 2013 deadlines. 

To compete, you must be a woman or part of a majority woman-owned business in Michigan that  falls into one of three categories; a company of less than $500,000 revenues, a "lifestyle business," (one that supports a substance for a particular income level and no more, with revenues of $100,000 or less per year.  The last category is for social entrepreneur businesses that are created for a particular social good.  All the categories and rules are in the guidelines. 

The deadlines are coming up fast--August 7th for companies, and August 13th for the lifestyle and social entrepreneur competitors.  All finalists will get coaching and mentoring, and the winners will get money and more mentoring to further their business creation or expansion. 

Check Your Energy Company for Free Energy Kits

When I was a child and dinosaurs roamed the earth, Detroit Edison used to give away free light bulbs in an effort to make it even easier to use their product.  Now that I'm grown and pretty old, energy companies are giving away energy saving devices--not endlessly, but one to a customer.  Your energy company may be giving away stuff, too, especially if you are willing to submit to an energy audit, or some information on how you spend your energy.

First Energy Corporation, which includes Toledo Edison, the Illuminating Company and Ohio Edison, is offering a no-(extra) cost energy kit for each of its customers that includes nine compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), a smart strip/surge protector, a furnace filter whistle, and two LED night lights.  Energy Trust of Oregon, which includes Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas, gives away kits with unspecified power-saving goodies.

My childhood power company, now DTE Energy, has a custom-made pack of free devices for you once you share your "power use style" that you can request by filling out the profile on this page.   If you are a customer of Duke Energy, you can get an energy audit on your home that would entitle you to a free kit including compact fluorescent light bulbs.  San Diego Gas and Electric has a free energy kit that is all about the water energy saving, with three faucet aerators and a low-flow showerhead.

Check with your energy company to see if they have a program for residential users.

Places to Find Free Tattoo Removal (Ex-Gang and Ex-Offenders)

I ran across a program in the Detroit area via Julie's List, the font of many good things, that offers free tattoo removal to ex-gang members in the Detroit area in exchange for community service.  It got me thinking about where else this may be offered. 

In metropolitan Los Angeles, there's Homeboy Industries, which offers tattoo removal along with its other outreach to former gang members.  The Central Texas Tattoo Project offers tattoo removal to minors for free, and asks those over 18 to contribute $60 to cover costs.  In the New York City area, former prisoners and gang members can get free tattoo removal via the Fresh Start program.  In Oxnard, California, the Chuck Muncie Foundation performs free tattoo removal for former gang members on the third Saturday of the month.  In the Denver area, GRASP provides free tattoo removal for those between 14 and 24.  Finally, in the Chicago area, the village of Hanover Park offers free tattoo removal to former gang members.  Contact police officer Jodie Wise of the Lisle Police Department at (630) 271-4218.

Some more sources of help from the website Jails to Jobs.

Money for Farmers in Michigan--and Elsewhere-- to Help Reduce Greenhouse Gases

The Natural Resources Conservation Service of the USDA has announced grants available to farmers in 21 Michigan counties to plant cover crops and try new "nutrient management practices."  It's an effort to reduce greenhouse gases.The application deadline is April 15, 2013.  Payments will be made after the practices are put into effect, so farmers will still have to provide the funding on the front end. For more information about this and other environmental incentive programs for Michigan farmers, see this page. 

But since the grant is ultimately funded by the federal government, there's money for other states as well.  To find out more about other federally funded programs for farmers working to improve the environment with new farming practices, see this page of programs and their links.  They will include the latest states and nonprofits who have received funding for things like agricultural water enhancement and the wildlife habitat incentive program, and who will create funds for individual farmers.  Farmers need to identify the organizations and states that received federal funds, then ask for their guidelines for application.  Also, the USDA has just opened applications for another round of funding for states and nonprofits; whoever receives these grants will announce grant opportunities to farmers and ranchers in the next year.

Help for Some Homeowners Behind on Property Taxes in Michigan and Ohio

Last year, I wrote about a new wrinkle in the Hardest Hit foreclosure prevention program in Ohio--some homeowners who were in danger of losing their homes because they were behind on property taxes, even if they owned their homes free and clear.  I re-checked with the Save the Dream office, and find that it's been modified--now it's only available to homeowners who have an active, open mortgage.  People who own their own homes free and clear are no longer eligible.

Michigan has opened up a new program in its A Step Forward program.  Starting on January 15th, homeowners in about two dozen counties, who have mortages with participating lenders, are eligible to receive assistance for back property taxes under certain circumstances.  Here's the circumstances:  To  give you money for first mortgages, or first mortgages AND past due property taxes, or second liens OR past property taxes, but never both second mortgages and back taxes. Check the page to see if your county or lender is participating.

Where to Look for Burial Funding Assistance

Providing the poor with a decent, dignified burial is one of the oldest social services on earth.  If you need help with the expenses of burying a loved one, here are some places to look:

--If your locality has a 211 agency referral number, call ask the referal experts to see if there are any agencies that provide burial expenses.  If your area has a searchable website, search under "burial/creamation expense assistance."

The Funeral Consumers Alliance, a fine organization, has a page devoted to indigent funerals, including a state-by-state chart of public funeral funding.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs also provides some assistance to members of federally recognized tribes if they lack other resources.  See this site for details on how to file for assistance. 

--Your state's social service agency.  Some help with burial expenses for poor people.  In Michigan, this is the website for burial assistance.   

Another source for help in Michigan for the families of those who commit suicide is the nonprofit group Six Feet Over, which offers assistance with the cleanup, funeral and memorial for the victim.  See their website (bottom of the page) for financial assistance).

 --In the city of Toledo, the Cemetary Office of the Department of Parks and Recreation handles the cremation and burial of indigents.  Their website is in need of modifications.  Please call directly at 419 936 3081.

 --FYI, here's a page from the Ohio Legislative Services (albeit 2007) on the obligation of local and state government to provide burial or cremation for certain poor people, like veterans and residents of state institutions.  According to 9.15 of the Ohio Revised Code, if an indigent person dies and is not a resident of an institution, the city or municipality must pay for the cost of a burial or cremation.  The government body is not absolved of the cost of a burial or cremation if the body is claimed by an indigent person.

--Here's a listing of some indigent burial services in the greater Cleveland area, courtesy of the 211 referral service.

--Some counties help with indigent funerals.  In Florida, contact your county's human services agency.

--In Oregon, indigent burial costs can be applied for at the state Department of Health.

--In Pennsylvania, here's the state regulations and who to contact for indigent burial.

--In Alaska, here's the site of the state social service agency that has "limited" funds for that.

--In Alabama, the county has the responsibility to provide a small sum for the burial of indigents, and those whose relatives cannot bury them.  In the case of deaths on the job, the employer is supposed to pay up to $3000 towards the funeral.

--In Illinois, it's covered by the Department of Family and Community Services, and here's the informational link.  For more information, call  (217) 524-5294 or (217) 558-6653. 

--In the District of Columbia, there's the Department of Human Services, which will give $800 towards a funeral or $450 for a cremation.  The total cost of the funeral cannot be over $2000.

--In Louisiana, the burial of paupers may be paid for by the municipality or parish where they died, with each city or parish establishing the maximum amount paid.  If the pauper were in a state institution, the state of Louisiana is responsible for their burial.

--In Georgia, the county deals with costs for the burial of indigents, and you start by contacting the county's Department of Social Services. Here's a useful publication to give more details--see #16.

--Here's the state information on indigent burial assistance in the state of Indiana.

 .--In New York, there is a guide for burial assistance options.  It's been updated (2011) and may give you an idea of where to go for help. There’s also assistance for New York City residents of up to $900 and an application online.

--For indigent people of the Jewish faith in the New York City area, the Hebrew Free Burial Association will provide a religiously and culturally appropriate funeral.

--Social security.  There is a small lump sum amount at the death of a Social Security recipient ($255).

--Was the deceased a veteran?  Besides VA benefits, some states have burial funds for veterans.  For veterans who have died in military conflict, while a resident of a VA-approved nursing home, receiving veteran's pension or other circumstances, they may be entitled to more compensation.  See this page.  Check your state's veterans office.  Here' the information for Ohio veterans burial benefits.

--Did they die as the result of a crime?  Some states have benefits for those who have died as the result of a crime

--Did they die as a result of a federally-declared disaster?  If so, and the family has no financial resources for burial, they may be eligible for disaster aid.   If so, contact FEMA at 1 (800) 621-FEMA (3362) for more information.

--Religious organizations. If you are a member of a church or denomination, they may help the burial of indigent people in that faith. 

--If the deceased is a child, there are organizations that assist in funding the burial of children in parts of the U.S.  The Unforgettables helps with funeral expenses of children in Orange County, San Bernadino and Riverside, California.  AMT Children of Hope, based in the New York City area, works to prevent the abandonment of infants, but also provides assistance for the burial of children.  Child Burial Assistance Inc. of Georgia also helps child burials in that state.  In Michigan, the Olivia Raines Foundation helps up to $500 with the cost of an infant's burial.  In California, the Emilio Nares Foundation helps with the cost of children who die of cancer in their area of service.  Call 1 (877) 507-7788 for more information.

AgapeCare Cradle, Inc offers financial help for the burial of infants in the Witchita, Kansas area.

The Tears Foundation will assist in funding the burial of an infant between 20 weeks gestation and 1 year old in the states of New York, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey and Washington state, if there are sufficient funds.  You can contact them at (253) 200-0944.

--The angels of Aidpage came up with another winner: a page full of suggestions on burial financial help.  They include references to several individual cities.  like Milwaukee,   The link to Nashville is dead, but I found the new Nashville burial help site here, and here is the Maryland burial site.  Colorado has burial assistance also.

--Another possibility is crowdfunding. See this blog entry for more.

***See more on indigent burial at this entry.****

Double Up on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Michigan and Toledo Area

This blog discussed how the elderly and children could buy to more fresh fruits and vegetables.  Here's how SNAP recipients in Michigan and the Toledo, Ohio area can double up on their fruits and veggies through October.  It's through a program called Double Up Food Bucks, both in Michigan and metro Toledo.

Here's how it works: go to a participating farmer's market, and see the Double Up booth with your Michigan Bridge card, or Ohio Direction card with your tokens.  You can get up to $20 in Double Up tokens, to double your ability to purchase fresh items at the market.  It's only good for fresh products grown in the state, and good from May through October.  Here's the Michigan markets that are participating, and here's the ones in Toledo. 
 .

Communities and Their Promise to Educate Their Kids

Several cities now offer public school graduates in their community the chance to attend college without the burden of tuition or debt.  One of the pioneers is Kalamazoo,Michigan.  Starting in 2005, kids who attended Kalamazoo Public Schools could get tuition paid for 65-100% of costs to Michigan public colleges and universities, depending on how long (one to thirteen years) that they attended Kalamazoo Public Schools, regardless of GPS.  It’s funded entirely by private donations.

Now the city of Detroit is following suit.  In 2009, it was first offered to graduates of Cody High School, and expanded the following year to graduates of Cass Tech, Central, Cody, Douglass, Pershing and Trombly High Schools.  For the classes of 2011-2014, it has been extended to all graduates.  Seniors must apply early in their senior year.

In Toledo, the UT Guarantee holds the offer of tuition guarantees at the University of Toledo for all Toledo Public School graduates who are Pell-grant eligible and have GPA of 3.0 or better.  Recently, the university extended that offer to public school students across Ohio and in Monroe County, Michigan, just north of Toledo. 

Universities and communities in other parts of the country have such programs, too.  Georgia Tech has the G Wayne Clough Promise Program, in which incoming freshmen from anywhere in Georgia can receive aid from the scholarship program and other sources to create a debt-free scholarship to attend that school.

In Denver, the Denver Scholarship Foundation has a program for Denver High School students who have attended the schools for the last 3 consecutive years, have at least a 2.0 GPA, and demonstrated financial need.  In Long Beach, California, a partnership between that school district, Long Beach Community College and California State University has resulted in, among other things, a free first year attendance for Long Beach High School grads at LBCC for their first year.

Awesome Source of Financial Assistance in Detroit and Southeast Michigan

While hunting around for help for a family member in Michigan, I called a county agency in southern Michigan.  She didn't know about any help in purchasing a car, but she suggested I google "Julie's List."  I did, and was very happy I did.  Anybody who needs financial help in southeast Michigan will be happy to find it, too. 

Julie's List is the brainchild of Julie Kennedy-Carpenter, and is run by her and some friends, and has all manner of resources listed: medical services, children's services and resources, clothes, caregiver support, housing, transportation,  and utilities.  It has public and private resources, money saving tips, and you can sign up to get updates on significant developments and events, like the Blessfest next weekend  in Taylor, Michigan for people in need of financial help and employment.  Oh, and they listed several programs for car purchase and repair.

But even if you're not in the Detroit area, it might be worth taking a look, because it includes some statewide and national sources of help, too.  For instance, it lists the NIH website for nationwide sources of dental health assistance, and the Christian Credit Counselors.  Because if you are including everything that can help people in an area, it means you include national stuff, too.  So you should definitely check out Julie's List if you need help and live in SE Michigan, but look at the categories on the left-hand side of the page on the chance that a national resource may be useful to you, too.

New Financial Help for Energy Efficiency

Lots of people take advantage of tax breaks that you can get for making your home or business more energy efficient.  But sometimes you need help getting money on the front end.  A new furnace or insulation can be hard to finance.  For many low-income people, there are free programs to make your home more energy efficient (HWAP, available through many community action agencies in the U.S.).  But for the rest of us, it means a loan--and a great, big debt.

But now there are programs to make that debt a lot smaller.  Some states are offering low-cost loans to finance a new energy efficient furnace.  One of these is Michigan.  The Michigan Public Service Commission started a program called Michigan Saves that makes loans available at a fixed annual percentage rate of no higher than 7%.  The length of the loans can run from 12 to 120 months. 

But how do you find these deals in other states?  DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency) has a state-by-state list of financial incentives for energy efficiency.  Check your state and see which ones are available to you.  These include tax incentives for companies and individuals, rebates, grants, loans, and others.  The squares, which can be clicked to take you to the individual program, are colored to let you know where the incentive came from--the feds, state, local government, or utility company. 

The list has its problems, however.  For one thing, the Michigan incentive in the previous paragraph is not listed at all, which makes you wonder how often it's updated.  Sometimes, you click a box and it's empty.  The best thing to do is check with the utility company in your area, and ask them what programs they may be running, then try to identify the state department that deals with energy efficiency by clicking your state on this map.  Check the websites of the agencies listed, and contact that agency to get your up-to-date information straight from them.

First Line of Help for Veterans--Finding County Veteran Agencies (Emergency Financial Aid)

I said in a previous post that the first line of contact for veterans in need of help was their county veterans administration officer.  These are county-level contacts from the state VA offices.  But until now I didn't know that they had a national organization, and could be identified from that web site.  The National Association of Veteran Service Officers, formed in the late 1980s, indeed has such a website, and it lists the county veterans contacts for each state.  The listing of state VA offices is disappointing, because there are so many dead links, but the page with county links seems solid.  Here's an especially good link on emergency veteran help from the Coalition for Homeless Veterans.  In Michigan, here's the scoop on emergency money to veterans.

Every state varies in its veterans programs, but check out your county VA office if you are in need of emergency help.  However, don't neglect your state social service agencies (the old "welfare offices," as they were once called), on the county level.

New Money to Prevent Foreclosures

Fresh money is being pouring into the fight against foreclosure in 17 states. The Hardest Hit Fund is being strengthened in the ten states that originally got two rounds of cash—Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, and Rhode Island—and seven new states: Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey and the District of Columbia. These are all areas that have experienced unemployment rates higher than the national average. In total, $3 billion will go towards helping out homeowners whose ability to pay their mortgages was hit by an event such as the loss of a job. Homeowners may be eligible for up to $50,000 in interest-free loans to cover mortgage interest and principle, mortgage insurance, hazard insurance, and taxes until they are employed once again and can resume their home payments.
Other states with unemployment higher than the national average may apply for housing funds, too. Right now, each state is responsible through their state housing agency for their own particular guidelines. If you are a resident of one of these states, contact your housing authority (links above) to see when the rollout will be for your state. For instance, Ohio’s is September 27th. Remember that while the general purpose is the same, each state will have its own rollout date AND eligibility rules. Finally, other states may apply for money, too, so if you are in a high-employment state or locality, check your housing authority or foreclosure resources in your state.

***Update: for states not covered by this, a new program has emerged in 2011. 

More Funds for States Hardest-Hit by Foreclosure

One and a half billion dollars have been released to five states particularly hard hit by the foreclosure crisis: California, Michigan, Florida, Nevada, and Arizona. Each of these states is setting up a program for helping homeowners in danger of foreclosure with money, rather than simply asking for forebearance from banks (a policy that has not borne a lot of fruit so far).

If you are a homeowner in one of these states and need foreclosure help, click the link above for your state and get answers about your state's program from the housing authority. You can find out if you are qualified to receive aid from the Hardest Hit fund. More severely effected states are expected to get funding soon, so stay tuned.

Save the Dream--Avoid Foreclosure Scams

In the Toledo Blade on Sunday, June 27th, a letter appeared from Bill Farnsel of Neighborhood Housing Services. In it, he pleads for desperate homeowners in danger of foreclosure to think and choose carefully when “foreclosure rescue” firms come calling. He listed two things to look out for in particular: 1) they ask for money up front and 2) they guarantee results. Legitimate help can be had for free from HUD-approved agencies like NHS, (419-691-2900. Here's a nationwide list of HUD-approved counselors.) and NOBODY can guarantee results, period.
In a way, it reminds me how we all got into this. Back in the ‘90s, I met patrons who turned up their noses when I told them about nonprofit agencies that offered to get them into their first homes, because those agencies advocated the old-fashioned way to home ownership—only buy the house you can afford to pay for and keep up, no tricky mortgages, getting your own financial house in order first, etc. But they met subprime folks who told them that stuff was all for suckers, that there was a better, faster way to buy a lot of house for no money down. It looked a little tricky, but it would all work out. Until the layoff happened, or the adjustable mortgage adjusted. And then it didn’t work out.
Now we all know better. The guy in the nice suit, or the nice TV commercial, is once again telling you something too good to be true. If you are having foreclosure problems, or trouble paying your mortgage, go to legitimate sources of help. Neighborhood Housing Services is one, and more help is available at Save the Dream for Ohio homeowners, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, or nationwide at HUD, a site with a list of counselors around the U.S and other advice. Talk to them before you talk to people in television ads.

How Can I Get Money for Work Retraining?

Many people seeking to re-career are hampered by the lack of traditional scholarship money for non-traditional, non-degree education at places that offer certificates instead of 2 or 4 year degrees. How do you get money to go to trucking school, or become a beautician? The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was created partly to address that. One of the things that sprang out of it was the naming of trade schools around the country as "eligible training providers." This means that students attending these schools are eligible for financial assistance to attend via the Workforce Investment Act. Last week, I listed a website for Ohio.


But you can find WIA eligible schools around the country at the CareerOneStop website. Just click your state to get a search engine to identify schools for that state. Once within a state, you can find different search engines that vary in how they allow you to search: by geography, or field of study, etc.


Other options: if you are a veteran, schools that are approved by the Veteran's Administration for education and job training. Or other things previously mentioned in this blog, as well as proprietary schools (private vocational schools) approved for funding within their state, such as Ohio or Michigan.

Help for Veterans Beyond the VA (Emergency Financial Help)

People think of the federal Veteran's Administration when they think of benefits for war veterans, but many states provide help, too. These can vary from one-time emergency financial assistance, to housing, burial, and education benefits for veterans, and the children of dead and disabled veterans. Military.com has a page with links to each state veteran's affairs office and a short rundown of benefits available. Each page has a wonderment of aid you never thought available (hunting and fishing licenses in Ohio?), along with well-expected ones. And while they miss a few (like the Heroes homebuying program in Ohio for first-time homebuying veterans and others in certain service jobs), they generally get it right.

Another website, the National Resource Directory, has a listing of emergency relief organizations for veterans.

In Ohio and many other states, there is emergency assistance for veterans on a one-time basis. This is handled through the county veterans services offices. They should be your first point of contact locally if you are having financial difficulties.  If you live outside of Ohio, check this website to find the county officer near you.  If you live in Michigan, see the Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs website for information on emergency help for Michigan veterans.

Also, the Modest Needs organization has a special grants opportunity for veterans in emergency need, called Homecoming Heroes.  Like its other programs, it puts your small grant need out for donors to give to.  See more at their website.

Also, the organization Coalition to Salute America's Heroes has a program to help Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom veterans with emergency financial needs.  

For members of the American Legion and Sons of the American Legion members, there is also an emergency fund to help with basic needs in the event of a natural disaster.

What About Money to Go to School BEFORE College?

One of the thorniest questions I get as a librarian is how to find money for K-12 private education. It's not easy. There are few sources, and often the wait is long. But a few sources of information exist that are worth checking out.

One is the page on financing a private school education by the National Association of Independent Schools. That, in turn, provides a link to organizations that provide scholarships to private schools. Note, however, that these are arranged by state. Many funders give to particular geographic areas. In addition, some of these organizations only give to the schools, not the students.

Another place to look is at Jon Harrison's page at Michigan State University on precollege scholarships. While it's heavy on Michigan resources, it has other states, too.

In the state of Ohio, some children get an interesting option from the state: if they live in a school district that has substandard schools, they may be eligible for scholarships to attend private schools in the area (EdChoice).

In the Toledo area, the Northwest Ohio Scholarship Fund, Inc. makes scholarships to low-income K-8 grade children in Lucas, Fulton, or Wood counties to attend non-public schools as funds become available. If they are not, parents can apply to be put on a waiting list. When the funds do become available, a lottery is held for the eligible recipients, but the demand is huge, and the funds not nearly as much. Maximum scholarship is $1,000, and families must make a minimum contribution of $500 per year. Currently, 71 area schools qualify as recipient schools. Income requirements apply. For more information, call 419-244-6711, extension 219. In Michigan, the Education Freedom Fund provides scholarships for children to attend private schools, also with a minimum contribution by parents of $500 a year. Contact them at (616)459-2222.

Help in Paying for Child Care

One of the most pressing needs for many working families is paying for someone to watch their children while they work. What many people may not know is that help exists for the working poor to pay for child care. Money flows from the federal Health and Human Services Department to the states, and each state creates its own rules on what sort of subsidies are set up, and who is eligible to receive help. For more information, find the agency in charge of your state's program from this national directory, and check out their eligibility requirements. For Ohioans, information is at the Job and Family Services site; in Michigan, it's the Department of Family Services.

Also, don't forget that you may be eligible for a federal child care credit for the care of children 13 or under so that you could work or look for work, OR for the care of a person physically or mental unable to care for themselves in your household. Check it out in IRS publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses. In addition, your state may have a tax credit or deduction for child care. Check with your state's tax office to find out.